A three-month-long study commissioned by Otis Worldwide and conducted by researchers at Purdue University examined how airflow affected the risk factors of everyday activities such as grocery shopping, exercising, dining at a restaurant, and riding in an elevator. When simple mitigation efforts such as air purification systems and the use of face masks were factored into each situation, results showed that almost all situations became safer. Beyond that, the length of time spent in some places also makes them riskier. “We compared the relative exposure risk of elevators to other common activities in a typical workday, including an hour-long bus ride and eight hours in an office environment,” Qingyan Chen, PhD, lead researcher on the study and James G. Dwyer Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue, said in a statement. “Riding an elevator was a lower exposure risk activity, given the short duration of an elevator ride.” Others involved with the study pointed out how simple health protocols could greatly reduce the chances of becoming infected—even in a small, seemingly confined space such as an elevator. “As long as people follow other guidance, they can bring the risks down. We still want people to wear masks just like everywhere else,” Otis CEO Judy Marks said during a Feb. 1 appearance on CNBC’s Mad Money. “Wear them in your elevators and, truly, the analysis and the data and the science show that you are less potential for risk than outdoor dining, much closer to grocery shopping.” But the study was also able to calculate a “risk level of exposure” for other places and situations based on the “intensity of exposure,” the “frequency of exposure,” and the “duration of exposure.” Keep reading to see which locations are the most dangerous ranked by risk on a scale from 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest). And for more on what else could be spreading the disease, You’re More Likely to Get COVID From Someone Doing This Than From Coughing. Risk level: 1 And for more on the future of the pandemic, Dr. Fauci Just Issued This New Chilling Warning About COVID. Risk level: 2 And for more on everyday safety measures that might be going overboard, These 2 COVID Precautions May Not Be Necessary After All, New Study Finds. Risk level: 2 to 3ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Risk level: 2 to 3 And for more behaviors to avoid, If You Have This Common Habit, Your COVID Symptoms Will Be Worse. Risk level: 2 to 3 Risk level: 3 And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. Risk level: 4 to 5 Risk level: 4 to 6 And for more on how to stay safe even when you’re not out in public, Dr. Fauci Says You Need One of These at Home to Avoid COVID.
Risk level: 4 to 6 Risk level: 4 to 7 And for more on coronavirus news, discover The Strange New Way You Could Get COVID, Study Says. Risk level: 6 to 7 Risk level: 7 And for more on the coronavirus vaccine, If You’re Over 65, You Shouldn’t Get This New Vaccine, Experts Warn. Risk level: 4 to 8 Risk level: 8 to 9 And for more ways to stay healthy, These 3 Vitamins Could Save You From Severe COVID, Study Finds.
